1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a stage device, an exposure apparatus and a method of producing a device.
2. Related Art
An exposure apparatus used in a photolithography process illuminates a mask with exposure light in order to expose a substrate with exposure light transmitting through a mask. As disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0248744, the exposure apparatus is provided with a mask stage retaining and moving the mask and a substrate stage retaining and moving the substrate.
A temperature change on the mask caused by illumination of exposure light for example may result in exposure defects. For example, when the illumination of exposure light causes a temperature increase and thermal deformation in the mask, the pattern image of the mask distorts and reduces the overlay accuracy of the pattern on the substrate. Consequently there is the possibility of exposure defects such as the production of flaws in the pattern formed on the substrate. As a result, defective devices may be produced.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a stage device that can suppress temperature change on a mask. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus that suppress the production of exposure defects. Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of producing devices enabling suppression of the production of defective devices.